Broken Promises
by spot-ons
Summary: What happens when an every-day girl catches the eye of London's most powerful mobster? Nelson Clay is heartbroken after his wife leaves him for another man. A chance encounter introduces him to someone new who gives him hope, but being involved with him carries a heavy price that she's not prepared to pay. Rated M for language, adult content and some mild violence.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N** \- I am still in denial that Spotless will only have one series. This is a story that focuses on Nelson Clay that popped into my head and I thought I'd take a shot at writing it down. Sophie Cameron and Duncan Shales are my inventions; everything else was created by the brilliant Ed McCardie and owned by the folks at Tandem Communications and Canal+. More chapters to come... Enjoy!

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Chapter 1

Sophie Cameron was stunned. "Give us a drink, love," the tall man wearing sunglasses said with a smirk on his face. "Quick like. We don't have all day."

She turned to look at her boss, Duncan Shales, a diminutive man who looked a bit like an elf and had the most gracious demeanor. "Mr. Shales?" she asked tentatively.

"Go on Sophie, dear," he said. "The drinks are on the house." He turned to the man and smiled nervously while rubbing his beard with his right hand. "She's new here. She doesn't know Mr. Clay or you gents. I'll make sure she's fully aware of our arrangement," he told him.

Joey Samson smiled and nodded his head at the old man. "Not to worry Mr. Shales. Glad to see you've got a new bir – I mean some new help around here. I think we'll be stopping by more often from now on." He pulled down his sunglasses and winked at Sophie as she handed him his Italian soda. "Thanks, love. This is for you." He left a £10 note on the counter and walked out.

"Who the hell was that?" she blurted out.

Mr. Shales sat down at his usual table in the back of the shop and wiped his brow. How was he going to explain this to her?

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Sophie Cameron was an American girl who had moved to London after finishing university. She had spent a year studying abroad in an exchange program in London and fell in love, knowing she would eventually call England home. Sophie had grown up the daughter of a perpetually unemployed alcoholic mother; her father denied her existence so it was just the two of them. They moved house frequently and there were times where they lived in shelters because funds were so low. She changed schools often, so she was always the new kid who never fit in, the girl in thrift shop hand me downs who made due with next to nothing, the outsider always looking in. In England she could re-invent herself to be whoever she wanted to be. Rebuilding her life, she had become a free-spirited artist who was fiercely protective and loyal to those she loved. In England she could be whomever she wanted to be, which was was fiercely protective and loyal to those she loved. She lived her life on her terms, no longer tied to the mistakes of her parents.

With a head of curly red hair and ocean blue eyes, Sophie was a typical all-American looking girl. She had lovely pale, creamy skin dotted with freckles here and there, and a smile that would light up a room. She had a medium build, just curvy enough to be quite sexy when she wanted to be but she never felt that she had to flaunt that side of herself. Even with all of the difficulties in her life, she was generally a happy girl with a sweet disposition about her; so much so that people sometimes mistook her for being too nice. It was always satisfying when those folks ended up being shocked when her bawdy side came out as it very regularly did. She could be quite forceful when she felt that someone was being treated unjustly, though. She spent most of her childhood years being invisible, trying to stay out the line of fire from her crazy mother. It was a habit that she worked hard to fight as an adult and she swore to herself she would no longer live her life like that again.

When Sophie was a young girl, she had an aunt whom she would occasionally stay with when her mother was really out of control. Her auntie encouraged her to read books and to learn, and helped her realize that if she stayed in school and did well she might have a chance to get away from her desperate life. Despite the intolerable living conditions, she worked hard and managed to get herself a scholarship to study at university. The day after she graduated high school, she packed her bags, left home and never looked back.

Although she went to school to study literature, she had always loved taking pictures so she took a photography course just for fun and quickly realized that she possessed a real talent. After going to a student art show, she decided her photos were just as good as anything she had seen. So, with the assistance and encouragement of her instructor, she applied to change her major to the fine arts program. Much to her surprise, she was accepted and ended up graduating with honors. Like most experiences during her time in America, she was treated like an outsider in art school. She was deeply resented by many of the other students because she didn't take the 'typical' route. She hadn't spent years doing art projects before getting accepted into the program like many of them had. What they didn't realize was that she had found the one true love of her life. Taking pictures was her salvation and gave her an opportunity to express herself in a way that she was unable to do using words. Their pettiness would never stop her; it only spurred her on.

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"Look, Sophie, those gentlemen are friends of mine," Mr. Shales said. "They run The Royal Oak pub down the road."

"You mean that pub that never has any customers?" Sophie asked.

Mr. Shales cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Yes, that's the one. The owner is a man named Nelson Clay. He's very important in this neighborhood, Sophie. I want you to give those boys whatever they want when they come in, do you hear?"

"Yes, Mr. Shales." She had always seen situations where criminals ran the neighborhood in movies; this was the first time she actually was aware of it happening in real life. She wondered how much they were shaking Mr. Shales down for each month. Shit, it was like the Godfather.

She didn't like this business one bit. If there was one thing she couldn't tolerate it was someone taking advantage of a person she cared about. If these men were extorting Mr. Shales, she wondered what she could do to stop them. She was just one person and these boys were clearly not fooling around; they were dangerous. One thing was for sure, though. Duncan Shales was a lovely man and she would do anything to help him.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N** \- So we met Sophie, Duncan and Joey; now it's time to meet Nelson. Sophie Cameron and Duncan Shales are my inventions; everything else was created by the brilliant Ed McCardie and owned by the folks at Tandem Communications and Canal+.

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Chapter 2

The Range Rover pulled up to The Royal Oak pub and Nelson Clay stepped out of the back seat. He was in a foul mood and wanted everything to be in order today. No messing about.

He hadn't slept well in weeks. His wife Sonny had been cheating on him – on him – with a fat fuck slob who had been part of his crew. This guy was a total disaster; the absolute opposite of Nelson. Everything this bastard touched turned to shit. He wreaked havoc everywhere he went. Nelson couldn't understand the attraction. He didn't kill either one of them, although he thought very seriously about it. No, he would exact his revenge in other ways. He had worshiped Sonny and she had utterly humiliated him. Killing her would be the easy way out – for her. He would make her pay for her deceit in ways she never imagined.

Sonny knew a lot about Nelson's empire. The drugs, the heists, the prostitution, the money laundering, the fake corporations, the multiple properties. He never hid his world from her. Now, she was a liability because of that knowledge. He had to make sure he contained her.

He had been totally besotted with Sonny and would have done anything for her. If she wanted something, it was hers. Yet clearly it wasn't enough. He would never forgive her for what she had done because once he had been crossed, it was over. But he was smart enough to know that if he didn't handle it correctly, it would backfire on them all. Now was not the time to get hotheaded. It was important to be calm, cool and collected. What was the saying? Revenge is a dish best served cold.

As he entered the pub, he heard the boys chattering loudly in the back.

"Oi, Joey, did you get her number?"

"Fuck off you git."

"Come on Joe, you losin' your touch with the ladies? She's your type, innit she?"

"I told you lot. Fuck. Off."

Denny and Mitch fell about, laughing their asses off. Even Joey chuckled a little bit although he was slightly irritated at the boys for teasing him about the sandwich shop girl.

Nelson walked to the back and took his overcoat off. He was irritated with the merry mood in the pub and wanted the goofing off to end; he was not going to tolerate it today. He immediately turned around and said, "Have you completed the neighborhood round?" to Denny and Mitch. They quieted instantly. "Well?" asked Nelson impatiently when no one answered him right away.

"We are almost done, boss," said Denny. "We have a few more stops to make."

"Get it done. Today." Nelson was furiously quiet with his instruction. The boys knew he was not in the mood for any funny business and started pulling on their coats to finish their job.

The neighborhood round was done monthly to collect payments from surrounding businesses in return for protection provided by Nelson and his gang. Nelson's men ensured that his 'customers' never had any issues with crime or any interruption with deliveries or services. It was a nice little profit center for his empire and it allowed him the opportunity to appear benevolent to the community even though he was milking them dry. It also ensured that he had total control of what was going on around him while he was at the Oak. It was one of the cleanest forms of business in his eyes; no drugs, no women, no stealing, no real violence. Maybe an occasional threat here and there. Really it was a like having a license to print cash.

Joey walked back and sat down next to Nelson. "How are you today?" he asked.

Nelson grimaced a little bit and let out a sigh. Joey Samson was his protégé, his right hand man. He had groomed him from the time he realized that Joey would do anything he asked without a second thought. His loyalty knew no bounds. As Joey rose to a more prominent role in Nelson's empire, the two men had become close. Joey could read him like no one else. Which is why Nelson trusted him with his life.

"I'm fine. I just don't want any fucking about today. Understand?"

"Yes, boss," Joey answered. Shit, Nelson was not doing well. Joey was going to have to call Jacinda, who ran an escort service for them, if Nelson didn't relax a bit. Maybe if he spent some time with one of Jaci's girls, he would get some release and calm down. Otherwise, everyone was going to pay. Hopefully Jaci could make that happen tonight, for all their sakes. God, he wished that bitch wife of Nelson's was just gone.

"Look, Joey, I'm sorry. I just need things to be in order right now."

Joey looked at Nelson and said "Don't worry, I got it. I know how important this all is to you. No need to stress."

Nelson paused for a moment and looked around. Denny and Mitch were gone; it was just him and Joey in the bar. "Sonny is in Portugal now. For good."

"You okay?" Joey asked.

"It's for the best," said Nelson. "We have an agreement. She can live the life she wants in Portugal and she won't come back to England. All on my dime. And she never talks to anyone about what she knows. If she does, she knows it's all over."

It sounded like he was trying really hard to convince himself it was the right thing to do as far as Joey was concerned. If Joey had had his way, Sonny wouldn't be in Portugal or anywhere else for that matter. Neither would the shithead who had been fucking her. But Nelson couldn't let her go. There was something inside of him that was obsessed with that woman.

"So you're divorcing her?"

Nelson paused for a moment and stared out one of the side windows of the Oak. "No," he said slowly. "If we divorce, I have no control. We are just going to remain separated."

"But what if you meet someone else, boss?" Joey asked.

Nelson waived his hand as if to say 'Enough' so that Joey knew he couldn't talk about it anymore. Talking about Sonny made him tired. He wanted to forget that the woman he had loved so much had made a fool out of him. So many people had been critical of his relationship with her. He had met Sonny at the hospice center where his first wife Maggie stayed during the last stages of her battle with cancer. Nelson was grief-stricken and lonely after she died. Sonny was young and gorgeous. He was like a moth being pulled to the flame and he didn't care what anyone else thought. Within a month of Maggie's death they were together and he couldn't remember a time when he had felt more alive.

Now, looking back on it, he wondered what it had all really meant. She was his world and she threw it all away. For a man who had nothing to offer her, a man who did nothing but wreck other people's lives. Fuck it. He was done. Nelson put his head down and rubbed his eyes. He couldn't think about it anymore.

"What do we have on tap for today?" Nelson asked Joey.

Joey went through a list of various meetings that they needed to take concerning several of their business ventures. All the meetings were going to be at the Oak.

"How about I call the sandwich shop and get some food for lunch sent over?" suggested Joey.

"Fine. Whatever." Nelson had no idea that the decision would change his life forever.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N** \- Now we start getting to the good stuff. When Sophie Met Nelson - maybe that should have been my title. J/k. Sophie Cameron and Duncan Shales are my inventions; everything else was created by the brilliant Ed McCardie and owned by the folks at Tandem Communications and Canal+.

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Chapter 3

Sophie put the remaining items in the basket. She got the task of walking the order down to The Royal Oak and was not looking forward to it. The last thing she wanted to do was to run into those gangster boys again. She was going to have to keep on her toes around them.

Putting the basket on her arm, she headed down the street towards the pub. It was a sunny day in London and she was enjoying the weather. She was wearing a long peach colored sundress with an indigo blue pattern on it and a short jean jacket. Her curly red hair was up in a ponytail with little ringlets falling all around her neck.

The activity inside the pub halted as she stepped inside, a breath of fresh air and sunshine inside the dark paneled and dimly lit room. She immediately recognized Joey and walked over to him to deliver the basket.

"Hello, love. Aren't you a vision today?"

Here we go, she thought. Sophie looked at him with a serious look on her face. "Hello. Here's your order. Please check it to make sure everything is there. I don't want to make another trip down here if I don't have to."

Joey smirked at her and winked. "All business, are we? Just trying to make small talk, sweetheart. Come on, give us a smile." She stared at him and willed herself not to express any emotion at that moment to ensure she gave him no additional ammunition to continue with the flirting.

He went through the basket to make sure there was enough food for all of the guys. Mr. Shales had been very generous – sandwiches, crisps, fruit salad, and some sweets for later on. He even included some of those Italian sodas he knew they liked.

"Yep. Looks like it's all here, love."

"Fine, then. I'll be on my way," she said impatiently and turned to walk out of the pub. She didn't like this place.

"Wait," said Joey. Sophie turned back around. "This is for you." He held out a £20 note.

She considered it for just a moment. And then she took it. These guys just got well over £100 worth of food for free. It was the least they could do. "Thanks. And by the way, you need to work on your flirting skills. You're crap at it." And with that, she spun right back around to head out of the pub.

"Oi…" Joey started. Denny and Mitch were on the floor. This girl had balls.

As she was turning back again towards the door she saw him standing at the bar. He wasn't laughing or even smiling at all like the others. He was just staring at her. He was tall with dark hair that was greying at the temples, and hazel eyes. While everyone else in the pub was dressed in mostly black, he looked more like a businessman in his navy blue suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and white dress shirt. She wondered if he was a lawyer or an accountant. She looked him straight in the eye and said, "Hi, I'm Sophie."

Nelson stood there, frozen, and said nothing. Of all of the things that could of have happened today, he was not expecting this. He looked into her big blue eyes and he felt his knees weaken a little bit. As a man who was always in control of his emotions, the feeling took him by surprise.

She turned and walked out the door. As she walked up the street she looked back into the window of the pub and saw that he was watching her. And in that moment, he forgot all about Sonny.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N** \- The plot thickens between Nelson and Sophie! As before, Sophie Cameron and Duncan Shales are my inventions; everything else was created by the brilliant Ed McCardie and owned by the folks at Tandem Communications and Canal+.

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Chapter 4

Duncan Shales had run the sandwich shop for years. He was a cheerful man and he enjoyed serving his neighbors over the years. The area had started to fall into decline before Nelson Clay moved into The Royal Oak. Once he was there, things suddenly changed. No more punk kids up and down the street, threatening the customers or him. No more graffiti or vandalism. Crime virtually disappeared. But there was a price to pay for Nelson's protection.

Once he explained the situation to Sophie, he knew she didn't approve. She had a strong sense of justice, of right and wrong, and she felt that Nelson was stealing. Duncan didn't see it that way. He saw Nelson and his gang as insurance – insurance against the brutality of life in the city.

The shop was small with a single counter. It served lunch and early dinner to its patrons, mainly sandwiches and salads, and lovely variety of desserts. A couple of years back, he had invested in an Italian coffee machine so he could make cappuccinos and espressos for his customers and he had seen a nice little boost in his business. While most people did take away, there were 5 or 6 tables in the shop for customers to sit and enjoy their meal or their beverages. It was cozy and inviting.

When Duncan found out that Sophie was a photographer, he asked to see some of her work. He thought she was quite talented and offered to buy one of her prints. However, she would hear none of it. She asked him which one he liked and then gave him a copy. He hung it with pride in the shop. Sophie wasn't his daughter, but he was quickly starting to feel quite fatherly towards her. She was a good girl with a big heart. She had a story that she wasn't ready to tell yet, but he knew that if he was patient and kind she would open up to him.

Duncan saw an underlying sadness in Sophie and he understood it. In many ways, he felt they were kindred spirits. Duncan had been married but his wife had passed away. She had gone into labor with their first child, Caroline, and there were complications. By the end of it, his wife was gone and his baby daughter had cerebral palsy and severe neurological damage, and would be unable to ever walk or speak. He had spent his life working to ensure that she had the absolute best care possible, which meant huge sacrifices. He never complained, though. It wasn't in his nature. He enjoyed his work and his customers, and he loved his daughter. But he would always carry the sadness of the loss they all went through in his heart. He saw that same kind of burden in Sophie and hoped that someday she would share why.

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A few days after Sophie delivered the basket to The Royal Oak, Nelson stopped by the sandwich shop. He sent Denny up ahead to make sure the girl was there; he didn't want to go otherwise. His only real purpose was to see her again.

He walked in and there she was, behind the counter. Her red hair was pulled up into a messy bun at the back of her head. She was wearing glasses and minimal makeup, and had on baggy overalls and a t-shirt. At the moment, she was engrossed in cutting up fruit for a salad. He liked that she had her own style, as opposed to his, which was as buttoned up as they come. She heard the bell on the door and as she looked up she caught his eye. He looked right at her, and felt his stomach flip. She, however, took very little notice of the man she thought was the gangster's accountant.

Nelson walked over to Duncan, who greeted him warmly. "Nelson, how are you? It's wonderful to see you again." Duncan offered him a coffee and a pastry, which Nelson gladly accepted. "Sophie, dear, would you bring us two flat whites and two of those apple puff pastries you made earlier?"

Sophie was shocked. THAT was Nelson Clay? The man in front of her didn't look like a mobster; he looked like he should be working at a bank. He seemed so proper, so ordinary. She stopped what she was doing and prepared the coffees and pastries, put everything on a tray and brought it over to where the men were sitting. As she set the items down, Nelson looked up at her with a small smile and a brief nod of his head. "Hello, Sophie," he said.

"Hello," she answered back as courteously yet as coldly as she could and then turned around and walked away. There was no way she was going to get into it with this guy.

He watched her for a moment as she walked away. He made note of those curly tendrils of red hair escaping down the back of her neck; he wondered if she had any idea of how sexy that was. Based on her response, he knew that this was not going to be easy. But then again, when did he ever take 'no' for an answer? He had no idea, though, how stubborn she would prove to be.

Nelson turned to Duncan and asked him how he was and how business was going. He knew Shales well, and knew that he was about to tell him everything he wanted to know, especially about Sophie.

"Things have been going well Nelson. I have been very lucky in hiring Sophie; she's been a godsend to the shop. Works nonstop, that girl."

Nelson smiled. This was so easy. "How long has Sophie been with you?" he asked with a feigned interest.

"She started several weeks ago. She's really a photographer. In fact, that picture right over there is one of hers. She's a real talent. I'll be saying 'I knew her when' someday." He spoke very proudly of her. "She comes in to work lunch and closes for me, and does it four nights a week. Gives me a chance to catch my breath. It's a huge help."

So much opportunity here, Nelson thought. If she was alone in the shop at night, he could come and visit her under the guise of looking out for her safety. Perfect. He stood up and walked over to where Sophie's photograph was displayed. It was a shot of an old cobblestone street and sidewalk, with imprints of dates when it had originally been created. Water had pooled on the stones, showing a reflection of the buildings on the street above. He was impressed.

He turned to Sophie, who was back behind the counter. "Do you sell your work anywhere?"

Sophie hesitated. She did not want anything to do with Nelson Clay and the idea of him owning any of her work was repulsive, but the truth was that she needed the money. She wanted to get to the point where she was able to live off of her pictures alone without the need to work at the sandwich shop or anywhere else for that matter. But she wasn't quite there yet. "I have my work on display in a few small galleries around town. Probably no place you've ever heard of."

He put his head down and his hands in his pockets. She was not going to make this easy, was she? He glanced up at her with a slight smile on his face. "You might be surprised. I'm interested in art. Which ones?"

"I could get you a list if you are really that interested."

"I am," Nelson immediately responded.

"Don't you have a website Sophie?" Duncan added.

Shit. Why did Mr. Shales have to be so damn helpful? She really didn't want to encourage this man.

"Maybe I could come back another time and you could show me your website," Nelson suggested. "I'm very interested in seeing more of your work." _And more of you_ , he thought.

"She has her computer here all the time. She's always playing with her pictures when it's slow in here. We'll let you know. She's got beautiful stuff," bragged Duncan.

Sophie was mortified. How the hell was she going to get out of this? She needed the down time in café to stay on top of her photo editing. She was going to have to figure this out. She did not want this gangster hanging around.

"I should go," Nelson said. "I look forward to hearing from you soon about your pictures, Sophie." He looked at her and smiled. He turned and walked out the door, putting his hands back in his pockets as soon as he was outside. He never turned around to look to see if she was watching. He knew he had made his point. She was going to be his.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N** \- Nelson continues to push to get know Sophie... how is she going to react? As before, Sophie Cameron and Duncan Shales are my inventions; everything else was created by the brilliant Ed McCardie and owned by the folks at Tandem Communications and Canal+.

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Chapter 5

Sophie managed to avoid Nelson for several days. She naively hoped that he had forgotten about asking to see her website or the list of galleries that displayed her work. Unfortunately, she didn't know Nelson.

The shop was closed for the evening but Sophie was still working, packaging up leftover food for pick up for the mission kitchen at St. Peter's church. Volunteers from the kitchen came by every other day to pick up the left overs so she was finishing up everything before they arrived. She heard a tap on the door and called out "Just a moment." She looked up, expecting to see someone from the church; instead, she saw him. He motioned for her to unlock the door. She hesitated but she knew he wouldn't go away.

She walked to the front of the shop and opened the door. "Hello Mr. Clay. Can I help you? We're actually already closed for the night." She didn't invite him in.

"I know. It's Nelson, by the way, not Mr. Clay," he said with a smile. "It's a bit late for you to be here by yourself, isn't it? How about we come in and stay with you until you are done? I'd hate for you to be bothered without anyone here to look after you."

"Actually, I'm just preparing our leftover food for the folks at the mission kitchen at St. Peter's. We donate to them. They'll be by any moment. Once they pick everything up I'll head out."

Nelson wasn't going to take no for an answer. "That's lovely that Mr. Shales does that. I appreciate that he doesn't waste food and helps those in need; it's a shame that it's left down to people at his level to help the hungry, isn't it? All the same, you are here all alone, it's a bit late and I don't feel comfortable leaving you by yourself especially knowing how important you are to Mr. Shales. I protect this neighborhood, and that includes you." He smiled at her and pushed right past her into the shop with Joey and Denny following right behind.

Sophie could not believe the gall of this guy. She stood there for a moment and took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down. It would not help things to get angry. The best thing to do was to be pleasant and try to get them out as fast as possible. She asked them if they wanted anything to drink as she walked back behind the counter. They declined and Nelson and Joey sat down at one of the tables. Denny stayed standing and came over to the counter where she continued her work. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Denny." Nelson chided him.

"Sorry."

"It's okay," Sophie said. "I'm packaging up our leftover food for the church mission kitchen. We don't like to throw it away if we aren't able to sell it."

"Cool," Denny said. "Can I have a cupcake?"

"Denny!" Joey stood up to come over and give him a smack.

Sophie chuckled. For some reason she wasn't really afraid of Denny. He was a big man, and she knew he was dangerous but he really was like a big teenaged boy. In a way, he was almost like a floppy puppy. A big, dangerous, floppy puppy, she thought. "Sure. Do you see one that strikes your interest?"

"Really?" Denny had a huge smile on his face. "Um, yeah… I like vanilla."

"Here you go." She looked over at Joey and Nelson. "Would either of you like anything?" Nelson shook his head no. But Joey came over and claimed a cupcake as well and said, "Thanks, love."

Nelson watched Sophie and smiled. He knew she wasn't comfortable with them being in the shop with her but he liked that she was being generous right now. She really was a lovely girl.

There was another knock on the door and Joey and Denny put their hands on their sides, prepared to make an offensive move if necessary. It was Charlie from St. Peter's stopping by to pick up the food. He immediately recognized the gangsters and stayed in the doorway. He wondered why these men were in the shop with Sophie and was concerned for her.

"Hi, Charlie. I just finished up with everything. I've got a tray of sandwiches, some fruit salad and some pasta salad. I've also got a couple of bags of cookies for you. Hope that helps." She stacked everything up and carried it over to the door.

"Thanks so much Sophie. This will be great for us for lunch tomorrow." He grabbed the trays from her hands and shot her a worried look. She gave him a glance back to let him know that she was okay.

"Great. Well, we'll see you on Saturday then, won't we? Have a great night, Charlie"

"Have a great night, Sophie." As Charlie walked away, he looked back into the shop window to see if she was okay. There was no indication that she was worried, so he went on his way.

She walked back over to the counter to finish cleaning everything up. There were a few dishes that needed washing before she was done for the night so she headed to the back to take care of those. Nelson stood up and followed her. Sophie placed the items in the large sink and turned back to grab something else out on the counter and practically walked into him.

"Oh! Sorry, I didn't realize you were there. Um, I just have to wash these really quickly and then I'll be done. Won't be long."

Nelson watched her carefully. "I don't think you should be back here alone. Go get what you need and I'll wait for you."

Sophie couldn't believe this man. She had closed this shop dozens of times without any help. She opened her mouth to argue with him and then decided against it. No, it was best to just ignore him. Don't react one way or another, she thought. The less she said, the less it would encourage him.

She went back out the front to get the remaining bowls and came back to the sink. Nelson leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and watched her wash everything. She was concentrating very carefully on the task at hand and he was entranced with her. Sophie's hair was pulled up again and the tell-tale ringlets were there at the back of her neck. God, how he'd love to reach over and touch one of those curls and kiss the skin beneath it. He watched as she thoroughly washed each item and rinsed it before placing it in the rack above the sink to dry. Oh, the thoughts he was having about this girl.

As Sophie was washing everything she felt him watching her and it made her ill. All she wanted was for him to go away. So she said nothing to him – made no small talk; made no effort to look his way. She did her job as quickly as possible and that was it. She finished up her job, hung up her apron, and walked back into the office to grab her bag.

"Okay, well I'm done now. Thanks much for waiting. I'll just lock up and be on my way." She ushered the men out of the shop and shut off the lights.

"Where are you heading?" Nelson asked as Sophie locked the front door.

"Just up the road to the train station."

"Let me give you a lift. It would be my pleasure."

Sophie started walking up the street. Nelson motioned for the boys to get into the car and to follow them. He walked beside her.

"I appreciate the offer, but no thank you," she said. "I like the walk."

Nelson stepped in front of her and faced her, cutting her off. It was only then that she realized how tall he really was. She looked up at him as he spoke very softly. "I can't let you wander up there on your own. It's late and I would be concerned about your safety. I insist."

Sophie stood there, torn over what to do. How far could she go with this fight? She didn't want him to be close to her but here he was right in front of her and he wasn't going to budge. Sophie looked around to see if there was anywhere to run or if she could yell to anyone on the street for help. Frustration set in as she realized she had no options. She looked over and there was the car waiting to go.

"Okay, fine."

He opened the door for her to climb into the back seat of the Range Rover and then he followed her. "Now that you are here, we could drive you home. It would be much faster."

Sophie turned to look at him and immediately said, "No. I need to go to the train station. That's it. If that's too much, I can get out and walk." She put her hand on the door handle, ready to exit the car if he pushed any further.

Nelson realized that she was quite determined so he decided to let it go. This time. He smiled and said, "No problem. I was just trying to save you some time. I'm happy to drop you off at the train station if that's what you want."

"That's what I want," she said.

"Fine," he said.

"Thank you."

They all rode in silence up to the station. The car pulled up to the front and Sophie immediately hopped out. As she walked around the back of the car, Nelson rolled down his window. "Thank you for the ride," she said.

"Are you sure you don't want us to take you home?"

"Positive," she snapped without even turning around to look at him. This man was impossible.

"Well, then, goodnight. Please take care on the train and be safe getting home."

"Goodnight."

Nelson leaned forward to Joey and asked him if had made any headway on finding out information on Sophie. As much as he wanted her to invite him to take her home, he didn't need her to tell him where she lived. He would find it all out on his own because he had access to everything. Joey told him that they should have it in the next day or two.

He watched her walk into the station. He was becoming obsessed with this girl. She was friendly, but at the same time she held things very closed to her chest. She was all light and beauty but there was a real sadness there that ebbed just below those blue eyes. Sophie had been through some shit in her life, Nelson was certain of that. She was cautious but there was a lot of passion there as well. So much so that it almost betrayed her. He had to know her. He had to unlock her and know what was going on in that mind. And he would. Soon.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N** \- Nelson's obsession grows... As with the other chapters, Sophie Cameron and Duncan Shales are my inventions; everything else was created by the brilliant Ed McCardie and owned by the folks at Tandem Communications and Canal+.

* * *

Chapter 6

It didn't take long for Joey and their main police contact DCI Squire to come back to Nelson with some initial information on Sophie. It was hard to get complete details on her because she was from America and they didn't have a lot of contacts there, but they had made progress because she had been in England for quite some time.

She was indeed an artist, a photographer who lived in a warehouse loft. He wondered how she could afford the rent; maybe she was more successful at selling her pictures than she let on. Sophie was 35 and had been living in the UK for over 10 years now. She had her residency and had made inquiries about possibly obtaining dual citizenship. Nelson found that very interesting; he wondered if she preferred England to America. As he moved on to her financial details he realized she didn't rent her loft, she owned it. In fact, she appeared to have an investment account with quite a bit of money in it. Impressive. So why was she working at a sandwich shop?

Once he had her address, he started having her followed. He quickly realized that she usually worked at the shop Wednesday through Saturday on the afternoon closing shift. She spent her days off and her mornings taking pictures. According to Jimmy, the man he had follow her, she was almost always out wandering around with a camera in her hand taking pictures of something.

So one morning Nelson and Joey went along with Jimmy to see what she did. He watched her as she wandered around an industrial warehouse area. She was in her overalls again, with a flannel shirt over the top and an undershirt underneath. Her hair was done up in a braid and tied up with a bandana, and she had a good wool coat and boots on to keep her warm as she looked for something to focus her lens on. He smiled as watched her; she looked fantastic, even in this grungy get up. Suddenly she stopped, transfixed. She was in front of a wall of graffiti and something grabbed her eye. She started taking picture after picture, moving around, finding different angles to capture what it was she saw. He was mesmerized.

Then, as quickly as she spotted her target, she had put her gear in her bag and was moving on to find something else. She was out for several hours, snapping shots around the area. Then she led them right back to her flat. It was a warehouse area comprised of artist lofts. The neighborhood was a bit funky for Nelson's tastes. He wasn't into all of that bohemian crap. But he could tell that it suited her perfectly. He could see that it had a passcode entrance so it was protected. But it was on an open street. Not the safest set up for coming and going if he started visiting her here, but at least it was safe for her inside.

His mind started turning and he was already considering how he was going to work this. Maybe he could talk her into meeting him at one of his places. It was much more discreet. But if he had to come here to see her, it would be better to do it at night when the car could slide up and quickly drop him off. He wondered what her loft was like inside. He imagined that it was a big, open space, with copies of her works stacked up all over the place. He wondered if her decorating style was like her wardrobe – eclectic and a bit second-hand. Then again, he guessed that since she owned her place that she might be a bit house-proud so he was sure her place was probably pretty tidy and neat. He set a goal for himself; one week to get inside and take a look around.

Joey watched Nelson in silence. A change had transpired since his boss had first laid eyes on Sophie Cameron. To be honest, he had a bit of a soft spot for her himself but that was done now. It was clear that Nelson wanted the sandwich shop girl. He felt a bit conflicted about the whole thing. He was glad to see that Nelson was getting back to his normal self but he worried about Sophie. She was not the type of girl who usually rotated around their universe. She was independent, self-sufficient, creative. She was not a woman who needed a man to make her world or pay her way. He knew that Nelson admired these things about her. But he also knew that these qualities were completely opposite to the kind of women they normally spent their time with. It was fraught with disaster. Someone was going to get hurt and it was probably going to be Sophie.

Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do. He knew better than to interfere when Nelson wanted something. And Nelson clearly wanted Sophie. He finally spoke up. "Is there anything else you want to do here today, boss?"

Nelson sat quietly for a few more moments, lost in his thoughts of Sophie. "No," he said. "I've seen enough for today. Jimmy, keep following her and let me know if anything changes."

Joey and Nelson dropped Jimmy off at his car and drove back towards the Oak. "So, boss, what do you think about our girl?"

Nelson smiled. "Time will tell, Joey. Time will tell."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N** \- As before, Sophie, Duncan and now Sean are my inventions; everything else was created by the brilliant Ed McCardie and owned by the folks at Tandem Communications and Canal+.

* * *

Chapter 7

It was Friday night and Sophie was anxious to close the shop. Friday nights were always quiet; most people went out to dinner rather than coming by for a sandwich. There was no delivery to St. Peter's tonight, so she didn't have to worry about getting the leftover food set up. Instead, she was working on her computer waiting for the clock to tick down to 7:00 p.m. so she could leave.

The minute the clock hit the mark, she locked the front door and ran back to the office to change. She was meeting her best friend Sean tonight at Royal Albert Hall to see the Proms. She was excited to go out for a fancy night and he never disappointed. Sophie and Sean had met at university; he had been one of her math tutors. It was one of the few subjects where she struggled in school. He immediately recognized that she was personally out of her depth adjusting to university life, that the experience was totally overwhelming for her. Sean remembered how difficult it had been for him to adjust as well so he immediately felt sympathy for the girl. He discovered that although she was shy, she had a wicked sense of humor. They quickly became friends and he soon realized that she had no family to speak of, no one in her life really at all. She was truly on her own. As their friendship deepened, he became her family.

Sean had earned his master's degree in economics and had returned back to London to work for an old, established UK bank. He had worked his way up to become a senior financial analyst and was in charge of running one of its largest investment funds. He was never comfortable discussing his lifestyle or his partner, Michael, with his work colleagues though. As he moved up the ladder, he would make appearances at functions with Sophie and introduce her as his girlfriend to keep up his charade. She never minded although she never really understood why he was afraid of coming out; she adored him and was always happy to help him. And it helped her. She ended up getting a few commissions out of all of the networking which was always nice.

Sophie changed into her favorite long black dress and put on her velvet wedge sandals. It had been a great find at one of her regular thrift shop haunts. The dress had long sleeves and a belt that went around the hips, with a slit up the right side to show a bit of leg. It was plain but elegant and sexy, and showed everything off in just the right places without being too revealing. It was perfect to wear to the Proms and for an evening out with Sean. She wore her hair down for once, letting the natural waviness of it come out. He always liked it when she had her hair down.

She let herself out of the shop and locked the door. She started walking up the street towards the taxi stand when a BMW pulled up next to her. "Hello, Sophie. Where are you headed this evening?" It was Nelson. He always turned up, like a bad penny.

"Hello." She looked straight ahead and kept walking. "Just off to catch a cab."

The car sped up a little ways and stopped. Joey stepped out and stood in front of her to block her way. She stopped.

"Why don't you let me give you a ride," Nelson said from the car.

"No thanks," she said. "I just need to catch a cab. I'm off to meet someone."

"I insist."

Joey looked at her and motioned towards the car with his head. "Get in, Sophie."

She didn't have time to argue with them and was starting to get frustrated. "Really, I don't have time. I must catch a cab. I'm already running late."

"Which is why I insist you let me take you," Nelson said. "The clock is ticking."

She stood there in silence for a moment. She did not want to pull up in front of the Royal Albert in a car full of men and she did not want them to know about her life. But it might not hurt to have them see her with Sean. Maybe they would leave her alone if they thought she had a boyfriend.

Her mind raced through all of her options. Running was out of the picture because of the shoes she had chosen to wear. Going back to the shop might work but they'd only wait outside for her. Shit. She should have had Sean pick her up. Oh, God, why didn't she have him pick her up? She quickly glanced around to see if any taxis were coming up the road. Nothing. Finally, she realized that she wasn't going to get out of this.

"Fine."

Joey opened the passenger side door and she slid into the backseat with Nelson. He immediately noticed her dress and saw her legs peeking out through the slit. She looked beautiful. Sophie caught him staring at her legs and quickly covered herself up with her coat. He cleared his throat and looked straight ahead. "Where to?"

"Royal Albert Hall, please."

"Royal Albert Hall? Fuckin' hell, that's some fancy shit," Denny said. "You know where that is, Joey?"

"Do you think if I knew how to get there I would be fucking programming it into the fucking Sat Nav right now?" Joey answered.

Sophie turned to the window and smiled to herself. As dangerous as these boys were, she had to admit there was something funny about them.

"Hey, language," chided Nelson.

"Sorry, boss," Denny said. "Sorry Soph. Didn't mean to cause offense."

"None taken." She smiled and chuckled to herself.

"You are looking very nice tonight, Sophie," Nelson continued.

"Yeah, Soph," Denny added. "Looking very fine tonight."

"Denny!" Joey smacked him upside the head and Nelson had an unhappy look on his face at the moment.

Sophie smiled. "It's okay, really. Thank you both. I'm going to the Proms." She really was beginning to have a soft spot for Denny.

"You meeting someone?" Nelson asked.

She hesitated. Should she tell them about Sean? "Yes, I am as a matter of fact. My boyfriend." There, it was out.

Nelson looked at Joey. This didn't come back on the information they had for him. He was not pleased. Joey was furious. How the hell did that stupid cop miss this fact?

"I didn't realize you had a boyfriend. What does he do?" Nelson probed.

Sophie just said, "Yes I do," and that was it. She wasn't giving Nelson any additional information tonight. She continued to look out the window watching the city go by.

He looked over at her. He had never seen her all dressed up before. She was a vision, lovely. He wanted to reach out and touch her, to put his hands in those gorgeous waves in her hair. To run his fingers ever so slightly down the side of her neck and along her face. To caress her cheek and touch her lips. To slide his hand into that slit in her dress and run it up the inside of her thigh. It had been a long time since he had wanted a woman this badly. The boyfriend was a bump in the road, a distraction that he would dispose of shortly. For now, he just wanted to focus on the beautiful woman that sat next to him and fantasize about when she would be his.

Just then the car pulled in front of the Royal Albert and knocked him out of his reverie. Sophie quickly unbuckled herself and opened the door before any of the boys could do it for her. She turned and grabbed her coat and said, "Thank you for the ride."

She stepped behind the back of the car and started across the road. She saw Sean on the stairs and waved to him. They met and embraced. Sophie turned around to make sure the car was still there and that Nelson saw her in Sean's arms. As she caught Nelson's eye she leaned into Sean and then turned to walk away with him. That should do it, she thought.

In the car, Denny had his phone out. "Did you get a picture of that guy?" Nelson asked him.

"Yep, got it boss. Crystal clear."

"Send it to Squire. I want to know who the fuck that is."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N** \- As before, Sophie, Duncan and Sean are my inventions; everything else was created by the brilliant Ed McCardie and owned by the folks at Tandem Communications and Canal+.

Chapter 8

It was slow for a Saturday afternoon so Sophie had plenty of time to do some of her photo editing on her laptop. She was still humming music from the Proms the night before; all the compositions had been movie music. One of her favorites had been an arrangement of theme from the Sound of Music. Despite the way evening had started with Nelson and his boys, it had ended wonderfully. Sean always had a way of making her enjoy herself. No one knew her better and no one could make her laugh more than him.

Soon Mr. Shales wandered out and announced that the Royal Oak had just called in an order. Oh well, she wasn't going to let them ruin her mood. She pulled everything together, loaded up the basket and headed over to the pub, still hearing the Sound of Music playing dreamily in her head.

Sophie walked into the Oak and immediately saw Nelson behind the bar. He motioned to her so she came over to the bar to set everything down.

"Hello, Sophie. Nice to see you again."

"Hello."

"How was the concert last night?"

"It was lovely, thank you for asking. Now, let's check to see…"

Nelson cut her off. "And Sean? Did you have a nice time with him?"

Sophie froze. She didn't know whether to be angry or afraid. Or both. "How do you know his name?"

Nelson looked at her with a smirk on his face. "It's my business to know things about people," he said simply. He looked over his shoulder at DCI Squire, who opened the dossier she had prepared on Sophie and she began to read.

"Sophie Cameron, born in Boulder, California, to Julia Cameron and David Thornton. Has an older brother and a sister. Mother is a medical assistant, father is a general building contractor. Went to University of Michigan and studied art. Did an exchange program in London for a year. Came back to the UK after graduation and has lived here ever since. Has UK residency and is seeking dual citizenship. Received a trust fund from a Dr. Connolly – clearly a payoff for something – and set up an investment fund. Purchased her flat from that fund and has a substantial amount left over collecting interest."

Joey couldn't resist. "Oi, Soph. Got a rich doctor to get you set up, huh? How long were you with him? Do you like the older guys?" He was laughing now.

Nelson turned and shot Joey a look that said 'Shut it. Now.' Joey instantly quieted down.

Squire continued. "It appears she met Sean Butler at or right after school. Sean is an investment banker and runs one of the largest investment funds in the UK. Sophie has posed as his girlfriend for quite some time. However, Sean actually lives with his partner Michael."

Sophie's head was spinning. The fear subsided and now she was just angry, so angry she felt she was about to explode. She was furious that Nelson had pried into her life and was seriously concerned that he knew who Sean was. Who the fuck did these people think they were? She was so tired of them interfering in her business. Weirdly enough, she was also seriously irritated that this cop had actually gotten quite a few of the details wrong. Not only were they assholes, they were also idiots.

Nelson turned to her and smiled. "I thought he was your boyfriend, but it seems he has a boyfriend of his own. So you are covering for him. Why?"

"What do they call that?" Denny whispered loudly Joey. "There's a name for that, right?"

Joey looked down and shook his head. "It's called a beard, you fucking Muppet," he hissed back. "And don't fucking call her that. It's rude."

Nelson glared in their direction again. Both men immediately went silent.

Sophie waited for a moment before she spoke. It was now or never – she was going to tell Nelson exactly what she thought of him. Hopefully she would make her feelings clear enough to put him off of her for good this time.

"What makes you think it's okay for you to know who he is? This is my life. If I wanted you to know about Sean, I would have told you," she snapped at Nelson. "By the way, how did you find out his name so quickly?"

Denny, being ever so helpful, piped right up. "We took a picture of him, didn't we boss?"

"Denny, shut the fuck up," Nelson barked.

"I cannot believe that you think you can trample all over my privacy, and try to use information about me to get me to do whatever it is you want me to do," she continued getting louder by the moment. "But since you seem so smug that you know so much about me, let me fill you in on a few details that your Keystone Cop partner over there completely fucked up."

The room immediately went silent. Nelson did not like looking bad and did not like being wrong; he was going to have words with Squire about this. Squire, for her part, start flipping through her file frantically trying to figure out what she might have missed. He clenched his jaw; he hated being challenged, even if he was incredibly attracted to this woman.

"First of all, I'm from Boulder, COLORADO, not California. Big. Fucking. Difference. Those two states don't even touch. Not even in the same time zone. Maybe you should Google that, check it out on a map."

Joey and Denny sat back to watch this with huge grins on their faces. This was going to be great. They both really disliked that cop and wanted to see Sophie take her down a notch or two.

"Secondly, I went to Northwestern University, not University of Michigan. Again, schools in two entirely different states. Let me guess, you failed geography in school, right? Or is it that you just hate America?" The boys were having a hard time not laughing now. Nelson's jaw was getting tighter and tighter.

Squire sputtered out some sort of comment that no one really got. She clearly had botched this research.

"I actually have four sisters and a brother. And my father? He's not the guy on my birth certificate. My mother had a thing for married men and had an affair while she was married to David Thornton. I'm the result. She was only a medical assistant for a short time because her reputation preceded her. She couldn't lay off the affairs with the doctors so no one would hire her. Eventually, all she could get was minimum wage jobs, usually as a maid or a waitress. Even then, she had a hard time keeping those because she was a drunk and often didn't show up on time, or even at all. When David realized I wasn't his child he threw us out and divorced her."

Nelson was stunned; he was not expecting this from Sophie. She was taking a page out of his life – raised by a mother who was a drunk, rejected by her father. She had totally re-invented herself into what she was today. Just like him. He didn't know if he was thrilled or sad that they shared this common background. Somehow he had hoped for something better for her, something more suburban and genteel.

She continued on. "I met Sean at school; he was my tutor. We have been friends for years. That's all you need to know about him. Our relationship is none of your business and I can't believe you thought it was okay for you to take his picture and find out about his life. Or that it was okay to pry into mine. What's wrong with you?"

"Okay, if that's how you want it," Nelson replied. He knew he had pushed far enough today, perhaps too far. Sophie was indignant and rapidly losing her cool. He decided to try to calm the situation down. "I like to know about my friends, about their lives. You never know when a friend might need help." He smiled at her. Instead of calming her down, he fanned the flames.

"Let me making something very clear to you. We are not friends. I am not friends with people who steal."

Nelson's smile immediately disappeared and he looked her dead in the eye with a cold and calculated stare. This girl needed to understand that there were lines that should not be crossed. Insulting him was one of them. However, Sophie didn't back down.

"I'm really curious," she asked Nelson. "What's it like using this neighborhood as your fucking ATM? It must be nice just walking up and down the street collecting cash like it's nothing. Do you even know anything about these people that you take from? Do you?" She was really angry now and was practically yelling. "Mr. Shales, for instance. Did you know he has a daughter in care? She has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair. She can't speak and has all sorts of other health issues. He lives in a small one-room flat that is practically a hovel and has no car. All of his extra money goes towards supporting her. Except, of course, the money that he has to pay to you. Do you have any idea what a difference that money would make to him? But why would you care? You're getting your money and that's all that matters, right? That's why I work the afternoon shift. So he can have dinner with her and be with her when she's put to bed every night. So she knows she's not alone. "

The room remained very silent. It wasn't often that the boys felt bad for anyone, but they liked Duncan and had no idea of the troubles he had in his life. Sophie stepped away from the bar. "I want you to leave me alone. This has to stop. We will never be friends so please stay away from me."

As she turned to walk out of the bar, Squire tried to get one last dig in. "I would have thought Mr. Clay would be right up your alley, Sophie, seeing as you like rich, older, married men and all. Must have been nice to have your doctor friend set you up financially."

Joey and Denny sat up to see how Sophie would respond. Joey wished he had some popcorn; this was better than going to a movie.

Squire stood there with her arms crossed and a satisfied look on her face. Sophie stopped in her tracks and looked at the detective. She smiled and said, "You know, you really suck at being a detective. You clearly didn't listen to my story very well. Do you actually think the doctor was my lover? I don't fuck married men; that was my mother's trick." At that moment, Joey decided that Sophie was one of the coolest girls he had ever come across. He whispered to Denny, "Sophie 1, Squire nil". Denny had to hold his hand over his mouth to cover up his laugh.

And with that she walked out of the pub.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N** \- As before, Sophie, Duncan and now Sean are my inventions; everything else was created by the brilliant Ed McCardie and owned by the folks at Tandem Communications and Canal+.

* * *

Chapter 9

The pub sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Nelson had his hands on the bar and leaned forward, looking down at the counter. This had not gone as he had planned. He had not expected Sophie to get so angry or to challenge him. If he was being honest, would he really be that attracted to her if she had been docile about it? He loved seeing her all passionate and fired up; he thought she was incredibly sexy when she was angry. However, he did not like how she spoke to him, especially in front of all of these people. While he didn't like being challenged, he respected people who had the courage to stand up to him. That had its limits, though, and she had crossed them today. But more importantly, how in the hell did his people fuck up the information about her so badly? That infuriated him. It was one thing to be called out for overstepping boundaries; it was an entirely different thing to be made to look like a fool by his 'employees' in front of others. He took a deep breath. Cool heads prevail, he told himself. Cool heads always prevail.

"Explain to me how we got that information so wrong." He was looking straight at DCI Squire. She was uneasy but she stood up and explained.

"I thought I had a good private investigator contact in America; apparently not. Everything that was wrong in the file was from his report. I will not use him again. I'll reach out to one of my friends at the local FBI bureau to see if they can recommend anyone that I can use. I'm sorry; it won't happen again."

He looked at Squire and very quietly said, "See that it doesn't. Make sure that we verify our sources from here on out." The truth was that this was not the usual request and trying to get information from America in such a short time could be trying at best. Because this one was out of scope, he could be a bit more lenient.

"What I still don't understand is the bit about the doctor. Who the hell is he?" Joey asked to no one in particular.

Nelson signaled to Joey and Denny that he was ready to go. He needed to clear his head so he could figure out how to get Sophie under control. He did not accept that he wouldn't be in her life so he had to find a way to convince her. As he climbed into the back of the Ranger Rover, he told them to take him to his favorite place.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Some people loved to be in the country, others loved to be at the seaside. Nelson Clay, crime boss and leader of one of the most powerful organizations in the UK, loved to garden. He was an incredibly powerful and wealthy man. He had everything his heart desired and then some. But truth be told, he was happiest digging in the dirt, growing and tending to his own garden of fruits and vegetables. He had purchased a community garden allotment and had one of the finest patches in area. His friends and family received the benefits of his hard work as he regularly shared his harvests.

The allotment had a shed where Nelson kept his gear. He unlocked the door and stepped inside to change and get set up for his work. As he put on a more appropriate shirt, he thought about how he was going to deal with Sophie. He had to come up with a way to convince her that he wasn't prying, that he was really only interested in her as a person. He appreciated the way she held her ground about him being in her life, even though he knew that he would eventually wear her down and win. He almost always respected people who stood up to him because so few people actually did.

Nelson stepped out into the garden and took a look around, and decided to do a little weeding first. He sat down on the ground and started to dig in the bed. His thoughts drifted to the comments Sophie made about Duncan Shales. How did he not know that? It was heartbreaking; even he had to admit it. He hated the fact that even though the UK had national health coverage, things like the care for Duncan's daughter were not always fully covered. He knew there were benefits available but it was clear by what Sophie told him that it didn't take care of all the costs. Fucking health care. It was a racket and he knew a good racket when he saw one.

Suddenly the solution became crystal clear to him. It was so simple. He would give Duncan back his monthly fees from the last couple of years and make sure he did it when Sophie was around to see. He would also let Duncan know that he would be exempt from paying any additional monthly collections while his daughter was alive. Honestly, losing Duncan's fees would be barely noticeable. But if giving the money back and stopping the collection helped Duncan's daughter – and also made him look good with Sophie – then even better.

This place always helped him clear his mind and find some peace. He smiled as he felt the stress release from his body as he continued to work the garden. Picking the ripe veggies and fruit for the week, he wondered which ones Sophie might like. He'd have to ask her once they were on speaking terms again. Maybe I should grow some strawberries for her, he thought. I bet she loves those. I'd love to feed her some. He smiled and chuckled to himself. The rest of the afternoon was spent digging and harvesting, while planning the next visit with his girl.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Several days passed before Sophie was back on at the sandwich shop again. Once Nelson knew that she was there, he made his move.

After the lunch rush had cleared, he showed up at the shop. He came in alone with Denny standing guard outside. Duncan saw him right away and welcomed him. Sophie, however, put her head down and wouldn't look him in the eye. She didn't want to encourage him in any way by making eye contact. Nelson sat down at a table with Duncan and started speaking to him in very hushed tones. Sophie positioned herself in such a way so that she could watch Mr. Shales from the corner of her eye. She noticed that he was starting to get emotional so she turned to fully watch the conversation and what she saw stunned her. As she watched the two men talking, she saw Nelson hand Duncan a rather large envelope and heard him say, "This is for your daughter. You take it back; it's more important that you use it for her care."

Her hand went up to her mouth. Duncan Shales was so emotional he couldn't speak. His hands were on folded together on the table in front of him and his head was down. After a few moments, he looked up and said, "I cannot begin to express what this means to my family, Nelson. I'm not sure how you found out about Caroline but I am eternally grateful to you for your help and support. She is my world and is all I have. This will help so much with the costs of her care."

Nelson looked up and noticed that Sophie was watching with tears in her eyes. His work here was done. It took everything he could muster to not smile, knowing that he was back in her good graces again.

He turned back to Duncan. "Sophie told me about your daughter. I apologize that I didn't realize your circumstances sooner; we could have made some adjustments. For now, please take this and know that you won't be required to contribute to the monthly collection while you are caring for Caroline. Okay?"

"Thank you so much. You are changing our lives."

The two men shook hands and Nelson excused himself. Without saying a word to Sophie, he turned and walked out of the shop.

"Oh my God, Sophie! Did you see that? He gave me the last two years' worth of monthly collection amounts back to use for Caroline's care. And I don't have to pay as long as I'm caring for her. I just can't believe it! He told me that you told him about Caroline. Is that true?"

Sophie nodded yes to him and, wiping the tears from her eyes, smiled. "I did indeed tell him about your daughter. That's very generous of him. I'm glad to see that he can be compassionate."

Later on, Duncan prepared to head over to the care center to see Caroline for dinner. "I can't wait to tell her, Sophie. This has just been an amazing day!"

Sophie was glad to see him this excited and happy. Although he never complained, she knew that he carried a heavy burden and she was thrilled that he would have some relief. This result made the whole confrontation with Nelson totally worth it.

That evening she was packaging up the leftover food for St. Peter's mission when she heard a knock on the door. She looked up to see Nelson standing there, by himself, with a huge bouquet of flowers in his hand. She hesitated. If she let him in, she felt that she would never get rid of him. But she also really appreciated what he did for Mr. Shales and wanted to let him know, especially after the way she had spoken to him earlier. After a moment, she decided that she would let him in but that there would be rules. She walked over and unlocked and opened the door.

"Good evening, Sophie. I wanted to apologize to you for the other day. I know I offended you and for that I'm sorry. I wanted to thank you for telling me about Duncan's situation. Did he fill you in about our new arrangement?"

"Yes, he did. Thank you for doing that for him and for Caroline. It will make a huge difference for them."

Nelson smiled. "I'm glad you're pleased. I brought these flowers for you; I hope that's okay. I know that you want me to stay away and I just want you to know that I respect your feelings but as long as you work in this neighborhood, I am obligated to watch out for you. Please understand – I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you while you're here. All of us at the Royal Oak are very fond of you."

"That's very kind of you to say." She felt a little more at ease but she was still wary of him. She knew he wouldn't go until she was finished, so she relented. "Would you like to come in? I need to finish up the food for the church. They'll be here any minute."

Feeling that things were improving and that she was becoming more relaxed, Nelson stepped into the little shop. He took his overcoat off and sat down. Sophie went back behind the counter and started to curse when she realized how much more she needed to get done before Charlie showed up. Sensing a problem, Nelson spoke up. "Is there something wrong? Can I help?"

She looked up at him and said, "How do you feel about packaging up food? I'm way behind schedule."

He laughed and said, "I can do that." Nelson stood up and walked behind the counter with Sophie as he rolled up his shirt sleeves. "What do you need me to do?"

"Will you please put all of these sandwiches in this tray? Here are some gloves; you need to put these on before handling the food. I have an apron you can wear if you want it."

"No need for the apron." Nelson put on the gloves and started taking the sandwich halves from the plate and put them in the tray tin. He looked over at Sophie as she was spooning pasta salad into another tray. They worked in silence, Sophie ignoring that Nelson was standing very close to her with a big smile on his face.

Suddenly there was another knock on the front door; they looked up and it was Charlie. Sophie went around the counter to open the door while Nelson finished putting the lids on the trays. She let Charlie in and walked over to grab the food for him. Charlie couldn't believe site before him – Nelson Clay was behind the counter dishing out food. Did wonders never cease?

"Thanks, Sophie. This is great. We'll see you again on Friday night." He then nodded in acknowledgment to Nelson, and turned and left the shop.

"Well, that was interesting," Nelson said, laughing.

"Thanks for your help. I would have never been done in time."

"It was my pleasure. I'd do anything for you, Sophie," he said very quietly. "All you ever need to do is ask."

She started to feel uncomfortable again. "Look, Nelson, I appreciate you wanting to look out for me. And I really am grateful for how you helped Mr. Shales. But things are not going to be the way you want them to be. I hope you can understand. I will see you around the neighborhood. But that's it, okay?"

"Whatever you want, Sophie. I just want you to feel comfortable."

"Thank you, Nelson. That means a lot to me."

"Let me help you clean up. I'll just take these plates back to the sink."

"Really, it's fine; I can take care of those."

"I insist. Let me help you so you can head home. I'm sure you've had a long day." He smiled at her and winked.

For the first time, Sophie actually started to notice what Nelson looked like. He had beautiful hazel eyes with really long lashes. For someone so brutal, he actually had a very warm and lovely smile. When his smile was big, his eyes twinkled and the creases around them crinkled up. It was startling to her because she had spent so much time pushing him out of her mind. "Okay, then," she stammered. "Thank you."

Sophie washed the dirty serving platters while Nelson took a cloth and washed down the counters for her. They finished up in no time at all. She took off her apron and washed her hands and Nelson washed his as well. She went to the office and grabbed her stuff.

"Would you like me to give you a ride to the station or home even?" Nelson asked as they walked out the door.

"No, I'm fine. But thank you for offering."

He smiled, knowing full well that she would turn him down. "No problem. Like I said, we are all fond of you and want to make sure you are looked after. I'm off then. 'Night Sophie."

She looked at him and smiled. "Goodnight."

He walked up the road towards the pub with a smirk on his face. This was going well. Very, very well.


End file.
